Background Concepts & Dynamics of NET

Dr. Scott Walker is the founder of N.E.T., and Dr. Deb Walker is the co-developer.

Dr. Scott originally started putting together the pieces of N.E.T. in the mid 1980s based on his studies related to Chiropractic , The physiology of the body , Acupuncture meridians , and Other mind-body dynamics . After repeated requests from local practitioners who had experienced extraordinary results with N.E.T., the first seminar was taught on May 7, 1988, in Encinitas, CA. Currently, N.E.T. has trained more than 8,000 healthcare practitioners who practice in more than 30 countries.

NET is a tool that can help improve many behavioral and physical conditions using a methodology of finding and removing neurological imbalances related to the physiology of unresolved stress .

Each of us has experienced unpleasant events in our lives, and in most cases, we process these experiences without harmful after-effects. However, there are times when a stressful event not only leaves behind a memory, but also an unresolved mind-body pattern. We call this collective unresolved pattern a Neuro Emotional Complex or NEC. Dr. Walker has defined the NEC as being a subjective mal-adaptation syndrome adopted by the human organism in response to a real or perceived threat to any aspect of its survival.

Because one’s memory of an event may or may not correspond with actual or historical reality, NET practitioners always consider every event associated with an NEC to be the patient’s "EMOTIONAL REALITY". For example, a woman in a car becomes quite sad when she sees a dead Labrador retriever on the side of the road . As the car passes by the dog, the woman takes another quick look and discovers that it’s really not a dog at all, but simply a big black trash bag.

Regardless of whether the NEC is related to a real or perceived event, the inside physiological response remains the same . Think of a nightmare — someone can have a very scary dream in which they are chased by a monster , and then suddenly wake up to find their heart is racing and they’re perspiring profusely . The dream isn’t real, but the patient’s body still has a physiological response to the perceived threat as though it were .

The fact that emotions are physiologically based is one of the dynamics used in the NET process . A key player in the validation of this dynamic is Dr. Candace Pert . Dr. Pert and other scientists have discovered that the emotional response is based upon minute proteins called Information Substances that permeate our entire body, even our DNA .

Another important dynamic in the NET process is the well-known Pavlovian Response . We all know the story of “ring the bell” and “feed the dog.” When this process is repeated, a normal dog will soon be conditioned to the sound of the bell, and once conditioned, the dog automatically salivates in anticipation of receiving food when he hears the bell . This is a normal response. It’s also normal that if you repeatedly “ring the bell” and stop feeding the dog, the dog will soon stop the conditioned salivation process, as it is no longer receiving food. This is called extinction .

Emotional responses work in a similar way. After we process an emotional experience, it’s normal for the body to return to homeostasis or balance — i.e., there should be an extinction of that emotional response. However, there are times when an emotional response is not fully processed or extinguished, and there can be an inappropriate future triggering or conditioned response of this emotional pattern when a similar situation arises.

Another significant dynamic used in NET is that a physiological emotional response can occur simply by remembering a past event. Here’s a simple example: Let’s pretend that there’s a big plate of cut lemons sitting in front of you. Go ahead and pick up a big wedge of the lemon and smell it; now squeeze some the lemon juice into your mouth and bite into the rind. Is your mouth watering? If you’re like most people it is – and the reason it is watering is because you have the memory of what a lemon tastes like.

Studies have proven that when we consciously remember a past experience, the body replicates a physiological response that is similar to the one that occurred at the time of that original event. When there is an associated NEC, re-engaging this physiological response can provide an opportunity for the body to complete the normal process of extinction – and this is an important part of the NET process .

Another important dynamic used in N.E.T. is Manual Muscle Testing. It has been demonstrated that Manual Muscle Testing can access the physiology of the body, including the physiology of the emotional response, and that muscles—which initially test strong in the clear— will test as being inhibited (weaker) when saying a non-congruent statement. This dynamic has been scientifically validated by Monti, et. al.

It is very important to note that when the NET practitioner is using the Manual Muscle Test, it is always measuring a physiological response to a stimulus. The muscle response is never a “yes/no” or “true/false” indicator, and it's never used to predict the future or tell someone what to do. Although the verbal/auditory stimulus used with the Manual Muscle test can sometimes mistakenly look like a conversation is going on between the practitioner and the patient’s body, with NET we are not talking to the body. Instead, we are only evaluating the patient’s physiological response to a physical or auditory stimulus (similar to the classic approach / avoid dynamic).

Once the NET correction is made, specific homeopathy is sometimes indicated to help the patient continue processing the NEC. The father of homeopathy is Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, who discovered that illnesses could be cured by taking a homeopathic dose of a substance which, if the full strength version of that substance were to be taken by a relatively healthy person, would actually produce symptoms like those in the ill person. An example is Ipecac, a shrub of Brazil, when taken in gross quantities produces vomiting. However, when very minute parts of ipecac are prepared homeopathically, the remedy will help a person who is vomiting to stop. Like Homeopathy, NET is a gentle process that provides quick relief from the effects of unresolved stress patterns. And using NET, practitioners are able to find and correct these patterns with pinpoint accuracy and unprecedented speed.